Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) and McDonald’s Philippines officially turned over their first Bahay Bulilit Learning Center to Bacolod City on Monday, July 29.
Located in Barangay Taculing, it is the 42nd Bahay Bulilit Learning Center in the country.
It demonstrates McDonald’s and RMHC’S long-standing commitment of championing Filipino children’s well-being through education, said Adi Timbol-Hernandez, McDonald’s Philippines Assistant Vice President for Corporate Relations and Impact and Vice President of RMHC Philippines.
“McDonald’s founder and owner, and RMHC Chairman, George T. Yang has always believed that as McDonald’s continues to grow in the country, its responsibility to make a positive impact in the lives of children and families in communities also grows, Timbol-Hernandez said.
“Today, as we open the doors of our newest Bahay Bulilit Learning Center, we bring this commitment to life, providing the children of Barangay Taculing access to early childhood education,” she said.
For over two decades, these learning centers have offered safe spaces for children to learn, develop essential skills, and play for an average of 90-100 children per school year, she said.
Key features of every Bahay Bulilit Learning Center include a Learner’s Area for basic lessons on values and ethics, a Reading Corner to foster early reading habits with the help of social workers, and a Play Corner where children can have fun, express creativity, and make friends.
A Hand Wash Area and separate comfort rooms for boys and girls teach basic hygiene practices.
To have a Bahay Bulilit in a community, McDonald’s and RMHC Philippines partner with the local government unit (LGU). The LGU provides the location or site, and runs the day to day operations with the City Social Welfare and Development
(CSWD), including assignment of trained daycare teachers.
For Bacolod, a 150 square-meter property was donated in Rosario Heights Subdivision, located in the densely populated Barangay Taculing.
“We are very thankful to the City government of Bacolod for their warm welcome and support. We laud their efforts in uplifting the lives of children through education-a shared commitment and value we have. Rest assured that McDonald’s and RMHC will continue to be here for the community-to serve not just their favorite McDonald’s meals, but make a positive and lasting impact,” Timbol-Hernandez said.
With the opening of its 42nd Ronald McDonald Bahay Bulilit, McDonald’s and RMHC is a step closer to its goal of having 100 learning centers all over the country by 2028, providing early childhood education to 10,000 young learners, every school year, Timbol-Hernandez said.
Beyond supporting RMHC’s Bahay Bulilit, McDonald’s Philippines has more projects geared towards education and community.
For close to 10 years, the quick service restaurant giant participated in Brigada Eskwela, helping public schools prepare for the new academic year. McDonald’s Night Classroom, on the other hand, is a program that converts its store party areas into learning spaces.
Most recently, McDonald’s ReClassified was launched to transform decommissioned restaurant furniture into desks and
tables for public schools, Timbol-Hernandez said.
Since 1995, RMHC has reached over 11,000 Filipino children who
have benefited from its programs on education and early childhood development, she added.*